AF and oxalates - a link for me!

[WendyWu20]

Hi all, I haven't posted for ages. The AF disappeared for at least 6 months, then suddenly came back about a month ago. I really had no idea why, and I was getting continual palpitations and generally feeling unwell too. Then a friend posted on Facebook, about the dangers of too many oxalates in the diet, for some people who think they have a healthy diet. Well, I thought my diet was brilliant... mostly vegetarian with soy products, lots of different nuts, loads of greens, high fibre etc. It turns out that pretty much everything I was eating, was all incredibly high in oxalates, and some people, for various reasons, do not process them and become toxic. After having two AF episodes triggered by eating almonds recently, I decided to reduce the oxalates in my diet. The palpitations have disappeared overnight. But you have to be careful, apparently it is better to reduce the amount gradually to avoid what is known as 'dumping syndrome'. If if you think it may be a problem for you, get advice. There is an excellent Facebook group, called 'Trying Low Oxalates'. You can join and ask to be added to their private groups which provide the spreadsheets of all tested foods, and recipes. If you just look online, there is contradictory advice regarding which foods are okay. Hope this helps someone else :o)

[jeanjeannie50]

Thanks for that information Wendy, will certainly look up what you suggest.

[CDreamer]

I do think that we are all so individual and there is no ‘one fit’ for diet or anything else! So many variants. I try to eat a of everything, including some red meat once a week, good quality fats, I take a few almonds a day but I will add oxalates onto my research list - which grows ever longer!

Good to hear from you and pleased that you have managed to correlate something which works for you.

[WendyWu20 in reply to CDreamer]

Certainly we need to find our individual triggers. But I thought I'd got all my dietary ones sussed, and really was pleased with my sticking to such a healthy diet for ages. But couldn't believe almonds were triggering AF... until I found out about oxalates. Gutted to have to give up all my lovely nutty foods! Feeling so much better already though :o)

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to WendyWu20]

I eat almonds every day Wendy, have done for years. Will stop and see what happens.

[Padayn01]

Wow I’m trying to go on a plant based diet with all the things you mentioned just can’t get it right, but CDreamer is right there is no one fit diet that fits all

[WendyWu20 in reply to Padayn01]

Not everyone is sensitive to oxalates. We're supposed to break them down in our intestines with a specific bacteria, but these bacteria may not be present in sufficient numbers if we've had antibiotics, etc.

[CDreamer in reply to WendyWu20]

I did a wee bit of research on this and thought this article quite interesting - especially about the need for good hydration, avoiding too much protein and how oxalate molecules need calcium to bind to, to be expelled. Gut flora may have an affect but it seems that binding to calcium is important to push through the bowel.

kidney.org/atoz/content/wha...

Having passed a couple of very small kidney stones and don’t want to repeat the experience I have taken note! I take 3-4 almonds a day but have a lot of green, leafy veg, rhubarb and other fibrous foods which are also high in oxalates but I haven’t noticed any correlation for me.

[Hidden in reply to CDreamer]

Many years ago in the1970’s, my Dad suffered from kidney stones & was told to eat no RATS i.e. Rhubarb, Asparagus, Tomatoes & Spinach.

Interesting eh? I wonder if there was any research behind that advice then!

Pat x